Shovel Talk
by StrawberryCrush
Summary: Hen was nothing if not protective of those she loved.


**Nothing to say here, but read and I hope you enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer: Still nothing...**

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Hen and Athena have been through a lot together. Since the police and fire departments often ran in the same circles it was easy for them to strike up a friendship, a best friendship. They'd seen each other through the good and the bad, relationship ups, downs, and in between always supported each other and never judged. Hen even encouraged Athena to begin dating again following the separation from her husband.

Athena was beautiful, intelligent, self assured, so It didn't take long for men to start flocking towards her. She still thought of that night she had to "rescue" Athena's date whenever she needed a good laugh. It was just this, those two. If anyone would have ever told her that these two would have...

It's not that Bobby wasn't a good guy, quite the opposite actually. He had his issues, but hey, who didn't. He had known Athena almost as long as she had. She guessed it wasn't the relationship itself that unsettled her, but the thought of having to deal with anything awkward if things went awry. She loved and respected them both and didn't want to do that. Hen knew that the two of them would be mature enough for it not to come to that, but the daunting inevitability settled as a worst case scenario in her mind, none the less.

"Hen!" Bobby's loud call broke through her thoughts, startling her. He chuckled, "whatever you were thinking about must have been pretty intense."

She grinned sheepishly. "It wasn't really anything."

"Come on, Hen, you know I know you better than that," he flopped down on the couch in front of her, "what's bothering you?"

She was going to just brush off his concerns as nothing again, but she thought about it: this was as good a time as any to talk about this. Buck was out with Abby, Chimney out as well, they would be alone for a bit. "Can I talk to you about something?"

He looked to be in thought for a second before responding "sure," curiously.

"So, you and Athena..." Hen decided to get straight to the point, no sense in dragging it out.

Bobby eyes widened for a split second, before regaining his composure. "Me and Athena? What about us?" He asked with badly feigned nonchalance, pretending to look at something on the coffee table in front of him.

Hen lifted an eyebrow at him. "Come on, Nash, you know exactly what I'm talking about, so let's not."

He looked up at her and she crossed her arms at her chest. He met her eyes completely. The obvious question on his mind didn't need to be asked.

"I found out yesterday, not sharing my sources, but Athena doesn't know that I know either." Hen knew that Bobby was trying to wrack his brain to figure out who could have told her. "So how long have you two been a thing?"

Sighing, Bobby said, "a few weeks. We've been testing the waters, seeing where things are going. We wanted to figure things out before we started telling people."

"When?"

"It was after that horrible motorcycle accident. I wasn't coping with it well and she saw that. After we cleared the scene, I went to the nearest church, she came along, we talked, prayed together, talked more. It ended with me asking her to have dinner and her agreeing. These last few weeks just happened." Hen couldn't help but notice how his features seemed to brighten as he talked about her. She hadn't seen him like that in, well, she doesn't think she's ever seen this lightness from him.

"She's been through a lot, in the last few months alone, just got out of a marriage," Hen couldn't pass on the opportunity to bust his balls a bit.

"I know."

"She's an amazing woman that deserves nothing but the best."

"I know that, too."

"I know you're my boss, my friend, practically family, but if you hurt her, all of that will be forgotten, easily." Hen's words left no room for uncertainty, her message more than clear. What she'd said could be seen as crass, outright insubordination, but she didn't care right now. She was fiercely protective over those she loved, that was one thing about her she'd made abundantly clear to all who knew her. He knew this better than anyone.

Bobby met her eyes with a neutral expression, holding her stare. "I understand. I don't plan on it and I'm doing my best not to," he'd finally said.

"Good. You may be the last guy I thought I'd see Athena with, but you're a good guy. I trust you."

Bobby laughed. "Well, it's good that we have your seal of approval," he paused for a beat, "really, the last guy?"

"Not like that. You made it known a long time ago that you were attracted to her, the fact that she was married then aside, of course. It's just... I just never thought... you know."

"Yeah, I get it. You know one of the first things she'd said to me during our fist date was 'who'd have thought you and I would end up on a date?'" Bobby rolled his eyes playfully.

Hen was going to comment on that when the ringing of Bobby's phone interrupted them. He pulled his phone out of his back pocket and checked who it was. "Athena," he'd announced. "I'll call her back."

"Nah, talk to her," she encouraged.

He answered. "Hey," he laughed at something Athena had said. "Oh no, please don't do that. Hold on just a second and you can tell me all about it." He put the phone on mute and turned to her. "We good?"

"Always." She held out her fist towards him and he returned in a fist bump. "I do have one request, don't tell her that I know. I want to be the one to tell her.

"Can do." With that, he returned to his phone call. Hen walked away, leaving the couple to converse in private, thinking of all the ways she was going to tease and grill Athena about this tonight.

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